ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

James–Lange theory

The James-Lange theory is all about emotions and what happens in our bodies when we feel them.

When you see or experience something that makes you feel an emotion, like happiness or fear, your body will react in a certain way. This reaction in your body is what causes you to feel the emotion.

For example, if you see a spider crawling on your arm, your body might react by making your heart beat faster, your hands shake, and your eyes widen. These physical reactions are what make you feel scared.

The James-Lange theory basically says that our bodies create emotions by reacting physically to different stimuli. This means that the physical reaction happens first, and then our brain interprets it as an emotion.

So, in the spider example, your body reacts first by making your heart beat faster, and then your brain interprets that physical reaction as fear.

Overall, the James-Lange theory helps us understand how our bodies and minds work together to create emotions.